Night and Day: Gale
by rianterren
Summary: A tie-in to my main story Night and Day. It's in Gale point of view of the big things that happen during the main story. The chapters posted here will be short.
1. Chapter 1: The First Look

"I figured I would find you out here." Katniss says and I jump, startled because for the first time I didn't hear her approaching.

"There isn't very many places to look for me." I answer and Katniss sighs, walking slowly towards me. "What?" I ask because I can tell she's uneasy.

"Your matches arrived." Katniss says and I shrug my shoulders in reply, "Everyone wants to open them." She adds and I snap the twig that I had been using to draw into the dirt.

"I don't care Katniss." I snap, throwing the twig away from here and Katniss gives me a look.

"Gale." She says quietly and I shake my head, looking away from her. "You can't just run away from this."

"But I can." I answer, looking out towards the thick forest that holds so much promise, "We can."

"They would catch us, like they catch everyone. Cut out our tongues and force us to be slaves for the Capitol citizens." Katniss says, her voice quivering. She looks over at me and my eyes meet hers, "And how could I leave Prim? How could you leave your siblings?"

"They could come too." I breathe out because I do know that we could never leave but I want to. I want to leave so bad.

"Prim and Posey in the woods?" Katniss asks and both of us smile, picturing the two little girls who can't even squish a spider without squealing. "We're needed here Gale, besides your matches aren't that bad."

I feel my brows crinkle together and she smiles sheepishly in return, "I thought you said that they were all waiting for me?"

"Well, you know your mom."

By the time Katniss is finally able to coax me out of the woods the streets in the Seam are quiet, except for those houses with children who are being contracted out. My house is brightly lit and on the other side of the door I can hear my mom and Mrs. Everdeen talking idly about their contract day. My siblings and most likely Prim are running around the house, yelling about something.

"Posey!" Rory yells in a panic and the house goes silent. "She ripped it."

"It was an accident!" Posey cries and I sigh, opening the door slowly to find my little sister in tears. "I'm sorry Gale, don't be angry."

"Angry about what?" I ask calmly and Posey walks over slowly to me.

"I was just looking at her picture. I thought she was pretty and I ripped it by accident." Posey says and I sigh, kneeling down to her level and taking the photo that's now in two. The picture is of a red head with her hair braided intricately to frame her face.

"Is this one of my matches?" I ask her and she nods her head, "How did you get it?"

"I sneaked it out of the envelope when mom wasn't looking." Posey answers and I sigh, putting the two pieces onto the counter, "Are you mad?"

"No, Pose. I'm not mad." I answer as I scoop her up and sit on the chair next to my mom, "Are you really that impatient?"

"Yes." My mom says as she slides the envelope towards me, "I am."

I take the rest of the contents out of the envelope. I just study the pictures first, there's a girl from District Three, a girl from District Ten, and the girl from District Four. I study each one closely but I find myself looking back at the ripped photo of the girl from District Four. Perhaps it's just because her photo is ripped but maybe it's something else.

"I thought you would have an eye for her." My mom says and I glance at her briefly and then at Katniss who is scowling at all the pictures.

"Who is she?" Katniss asks and I pull out the girl from District Four's paperwork.

"Norah Odair." I say as my eyes skim the paper, "She's the third child and second daughter of Adam and Tanya Odair. She works on the docks in her District and if she's contracted to me she'll be a seamstress." My mom claps her hands together and nods her head for me to continue.

"We have a compatibility rate of 96%." I say and my mom smiles widely at me.

"That's higher than mine and your fathers." She says before wiping the tears that have built up in her eyes.

I nod my head and place the pictures face down back on the table, not wanting to look at them anymore. My life is changing before my eyes and I'm pretty sure it wasn't for the better. I didn't want to marry some girl from District Four, a girl who I'm sure is privileged since District Four does have more funding from the Capitol than Twelve.

"Gale, where are you going?" Rory asks and I push past him heading for my room. "Gale aren't you happy?"

"Leave him alone for now Rory." My mom says even though I can hear the slight disappointment in her voice by the way I'm reacting. "He needs some time to wrap his head around everything."

I lay on my bed with my face pushed into my pillow. The image of the redhead engraved into the back of my head. I can't help but wonder about her and what her family is like. Is she excited about moving here, starting a life and a family of her own or is she nervous about leaving everything she knows. Maybe she has a sweetheart. A pretty girl like her has to have someone that finds her to be special and if she does have someone, does she consider running away with him the same way I do with Katniss?

"Gale?" My mom says on the other side of the door. She enters without me inviting her in and I sigh lifting my head to look at her.

"What?" I ask and my mom sits on the edge of my bed, pushing my hair back from my forehead like I'm still a child.

"You're very lucky." My mom begins and I sit up, pushing her hand away from me.

"Lucky? Ma, how do you consider this to be lucky? I'm being forced to marry a girl I don't even know, a girl who I probably won't even get along with." I say and my mom smiles at me even though I'm talking harshly.

"Oh Gale, you two have things in common if you have a compatibility rate of 96%. I know you have everything against the Capitol and I don't blame you, but you have to believe that they can do this one thing right." My mom replies calmly, "And you need to enter this with an open mind, it's terrifying for a young woman to enter a District and be with a man she doesn't know."

"I'm counting on you to take care of her Gale, make her comfortable and treat her with the upmost respect. It may not seem like it right now, but she will need you. Norah or one of you other matches, will need you and you need to be there."

"I never said I wasn't." I answer and my mom cups my face in her hand.

"Good, now we need to talk about Katniss." She says firmly and I move away from her again.

"What about Katniss?" I ask defensively and my mom puts her hands up.

"Relax, I'm just saying that you need remember who your wife is and that I know you love Katniss very much, but you need to remember what comes first. One slip up Gale and the family could lose all three of you." My mom says and even though the suggestion is fair and right I still tense up with the idea of the Capitol hurting any of us.

My mom was right though. I had to play by the rules to ensure my families safety.

* * *

"Ma." I say as she attempts to smooth my hair down, "It's fine."

"I don't want your wife thinking your some slob." My mom says and I chuckle, pushing her hands away from me. "Alright, alright."

"We need to get going anyways or we're going to be late." I say as I scoop up Posey and throw her over my shoulder. She squeals and I smile tickling her side and walking out the door to the town square.

"Looking sharp Hawthorne." Thom says with a gruff laugh before slapping me hard on the back as I line up with the rest of the eighteen year olds.

"Hey Thom." I say and he grins.

"You nervous?" Thom asks and I shrug my shoulders, looking at the large looming screen that has the Capitol seal spinning on it. "Don't be. What's the worst thing that can happen?"

"I'm contracted to a girl like Bristel." I answer and Thom laughs, rubbing his face before looking over at his wife that's waiting on the sidelines with the other residents of District Twelve.

"Ah, well she's not that bad. Trust me, being contracted isn't as bad as it may seem." Thom says before slapping me on the back again, "Good luck."

_Norah Rochelle Odair-Hawthorne. _The name kind of rolls off Effie Trinket's tongue when she announces my contract partner. The screen flashes from black to Norah, she's blushing profusely and when her brown eyes meet mine she looks down in embarrassment. I smile at her reaction and when she looks back up at me I wave slightly, which she returns. She's beautiful, in blue dress that I imagine to be the same color as the ocean. I frown for a moment because that would be another thing she would have to leave behind.

The screen flashes back to black too quickly and I sigh a bit. I wanted more time just to study her.

My mind is buzzing for the rest of the day. The image of the redhead still plastered in my brain, how embarrassed she had been and how absolutely sweet she seemed to be on the screen.

"So this is it." My mom says as she puts a box with linens on the table in my new house.

"Yeah." I say as I wipe some of the coal dust off of the kitchen counter, "I guess so."

"Do you want us to help you unpack?" She asks and I shake my head, starting to check out the kitchen cabinets that seem to be on their last limb. Hopefully Norah understands.

"Not much to unpack Ma." I reply and my mom nods her head slowly, "Don't start crying."

"I'm not Gale, I'm just happy for you that's all. You're all grown up." She says and I roll my eyes.

"Not really, I'm just eighteen." I say and my mom hugs me tightly.

"That's still pretty grown up." My mom says before kissing my cheek and herding my siblings out the door, "We'll see you tomorrow at the train station."

"Alright." I say and she closes the door, leaving me alone in the new house that I'm now supposed to consider home.

I dig around in the boxes for some paste that I know Posey tossed into one of the boxes. She put it in believing that when Norah got here she would want to do some arts and crafts. The ripped picture in my back pocket seems to burn against the cloth and into my skin as I look for the paste. I remember being younger and finding the first picture of my mother that my father got, it was buried deep in my father's sock drawer. It was nice gesture knowing that my father did adore my mother the first time he saw her picture and I'm sure my mother enjoyed the thought too.

When I finally find the paste, I glue the two halves of the picture together and study the wrinkled picture. It's already being dulled by the coal dust but I did enjoy the fact that I had her picture. She's as pretty as I remember her on the screen earlier today.

"Norah Rochelle Hawthorne." I say testing out the name and even though it sounds a bit foreign I knew I would get used to it, not because I had to, but I wanted too. It would just take me a little more time.

* * *

This was just a little thing I had. I thought you guys would want to see what Gale thought of Norah.

Let me know what you think


	2. Chapter 2: The Birth

**READ CHAPTER 25** **OF ****_NIGHT AND DAY_**** BEFORE READING THIS**

**READ CHAPTER 25** **OF****_ NIGHT AND DAY_**** BEFORE READING THIS**

**READ CHAPTER 25** **OF ****_NIGHT AND DAY_**** BEFORE READING THIS**

* * *

It takes four nurses to drag me out of the room where Norah lays bleeding out and dying. I promised I wouldn't leave her but now there was a chance that she was leaving me. The thought is almost unbearable and I lean against the wall opposite of the door, covering my face with my hands. I had to compose myself before stepping out into the waiting room where everyone waits for us,

"Mr. Hawthorne," a soft voice says at the end of the hallway and I look up to find Verona, standing awkwardly. She bites her lip and then makes her way slowly over to me, "I- I just wanted to let you know that your daughters are very healthy and that when you're ready to see them I'll be happy to bring you to them."

"I can't right now." I say and Verona nods her head, she sits next to me on the floor of the hallway and both of us stare at the door. Thinking about looking at my daughters without Norah at my side is unbearable. I cover my face with my hands again and chew on my cheek, doing my best to not lose my cool.

"Can I get you anything?" Verona asks and I shake my head, taking a deep breath and standing up.

"I should probably go wait with my family." I say and she nods, standing up with me.

"I'm sure she's going to pull through Mr. Hawthorne." Verona calls after me but I don't say anything. I don't want any comforting words from any Capitol resident, no matter how nice and helpful they may be.

It's not even worth an attempt to wipe the tears from my eyes because I know I'm just going to be in the same state of mind once I tell my family what's happening. I'm surprised to find not only my family but all the Everdeen's, excluding Haymitch and Thom and Bristle. They all look up in smiles, assuming I'm here to make the announcement of our daughter's births but their smiles soon falter when they find me in tears.

"What happened? Are the babies ok?" My mom asks in a panic and I nod my head slowly, struggling to find my voice. She relaxes but it's only for a moment before she says, "Is Norah ok?"

"She lost a lot of blood and her heart stopped while I was in there. I don't know what's happening." I choke out and my mom is at my side in a moment. She cradles me like a small child and I finally let myself sob, even if I really don't want to.

I cry as much as I had when I was in the woods alone for the first time after my father had died. An entire scenario plays out in my head of being re-contracted this September to another woman who I don't know. A woman who will have to take care of two little girls that aren't her own, a woman who my daughters will consider their mother instead of Norah. A life without Norah, isn't one that I want to be a part of.

* * *

I feel like we're waiting in the small waiting room for an eternity, but no one leaves, no one talks, no one moves. We just sit there, waiting for any kind of news from Dr. Weston or even Verona but no one comes.

"Have you seen the babies?" Bristle whispers to me and I shake my head. Her eyes are hollow and she cuddles her daughter close to her chest. Thom keeps a hand on her knee, occasionally he squeezes her in comfort the small interaction between them makes me want Norah even more.

"Why haven't you gone to see them Gale?" Bristle asks and I just stare at her, wondering why she would even ask that. "Look Norah's my best friend and I know for a fact that if you don't go and see your daughters before she comes out of this, she'll probably kill you."

"Bristle." Thom says in a warning voice but she shushes him.

"Those are your daughters Gale, so why are you not in there?" Bristle asks again, her brows are heavily furrowed causing a thick crease to appear on the bridge of her nose.

"I can't see them without her." I say and Bristle shakes her head at me.

"Why? Norah would want you too. She would want you sitting with them instead of in here with us, she would want you to protect them and love them until she can." Bristle says and I chew on the inside of my cheek again, re-breaking the skin and tasting some blood.

"How am I supposed to sit in there with them, knowing that Norah might never?" I ask and Bristle takes my hand into hers.

"It's something you have to do as a parent, but I know Norah and I don't think she's just going to leave you, leave them, like this." Bristle says and I take a deep breath, rubbing my eyes again.

I get up and make my way to the small nurses' station. There's a nurse with bright yellow hair sitting down and chewing some gum, she snaps it when she sees me and lifts her brows. "Is Verona here?"

"She's checking up on patient right now." The nurse who's nametag reads Uma says with a bored voice. She goes back to flipping through some Capitol magazine and chewing loudly on her gum.

"Can you page her?" I ask and Uma rolls her eyes, she leans over and types something in the phone and looks at me.

"She'll come over here when she's done. Can you back away from the desk now?" Uma asks and I take a few steps back, rolling my eyes as she turns her chair so that her back now faces me.

It isn't long until Verona appears, she smiles softly at me and then frowns when she sees Uma's back towards me. "Aren't you supposed to be working?" Verona asks her distastefully and Uma waves her hand in annoyance.

"What's the matter Gale? I haven't heard much about Norah but I do know that she's been stable for a while now." Verona says and I feel like a weight has been lifted from my chest, "I was just heading over there to tell you."

"Well, thank you." I say as I rub my forehead, a small smile forming on my face at the idea of Norah, somewhere in the hospital stable and very much alive. Tears once again prick my eyes. "I was just wondering if you could bring me to my daughters."

A smile appears on Verona's face, revealing a mouth full of perfect straight white teeth. She was a little more Capitol than she let on. "Come this way to the nursery."

I follow her through a twist of hallways and past a door with a big glass wall that doubles as a window that shows all the babies that were born in the building today or a few days ago. There's about ten babies, but I can find my daughters easily. They're sharing the same little cradle, laying silently side by side. "Come on, come inside so you can hold them."

I follow her inside of the nursery and another nurse smiles brightly, like Verona she has a normal look to her although by her name, Kimber, I can tell she is also from the Capitol. "You must be Mr. Hawthorne! I know too little girls who have been waiting for you."

Verona chuckles and then points to a sink for me to wash up, she then brings me over to a chair next to my daughter's cradle. I feel like a giant staring at them and so scared to touch them since they are so small and fragile. A pager rings in the room, waking up a few of the babies. Kimber shoots Verona a look and she smiles sheepishly in reply as she pulls her pager off the waistband of her pants. She studies it for a while before a smile stretches on her face.

"It's from Dr. Weston, they just moved Mrs. Hawthorne into recovery, she's fine Gale. I'm going to go and see if I can make her comfortable since they're not going to allow any family to see her just yet." Verona says and I sigh in relief, rubbing my forehead and feeling the pain in my chest turn into happiness.

Norah is alive. I would have my wife and my daughters and everything was going to be ok now it just had to be.

Verona leaves to help with Norah and I'm left with Kimber. She chuckles as I just watch my daughter carefully, occasionally gently running my hand over their small amount of black hair.

"Do they have names? We've been calling them Hawthorne number one and Hawthorne number two all day today." Kimber says as she lifts up the smaller of the two, "Here's number one, she's a healthy five pounds and five ounces."

"Eden," I say as Kimber places her in my hands, "Eden Persi Hawthorne." I say, remembering exactly what Norah scribbled into our notebook just days earlier. Kimber writes the name in careful handwriting onto Eden's name card over the cradle.

I hold Eden for a bit, studying her tiny features, running my fingers gently across her rosy cheeks. I hand her back to Kimber, who cradles Eden so carefully before placing her back into the cradle and picking up my second daughter.

"And here is Hawthorne number two, she weighs seven pounds and one ounce." Kimber says as she places her into my hands. Just like Eden, she has perfect little features and rosy little cheeks. "What are you thinking of naming her?"

I don't hesitate to answer the question because I know exactly what she's going to be called. Norah whispered it the second she saw her, "Rosie." I say, even though the name wasn't my favorite it felt wrong to call her anything else, "Rosie Hazel Hawthorne."

* * *

So yes, of course Norah is ok! I just wanted to add a little drama so that I don't bore you guys to sleep. Now that their daughters are born things are going to start getting interesting.

I plan on posting more in here so I would follow this along with Night and Day.

Let me know what you think!


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